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Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by Garret

But do you have 8x10 color glossies with circles & arrows and a paragraph on the back to prove it?

I might have one badly deteriorated 50 year old Polaroid, but I'd never know where to find it. I could, in lieu, present a genuine, authentic, real live draft card with the leters 4F, and I didn't have to make small talk with the father stabbers on the bench there.

Re: Schooner Row

Hi Jay, my wife was talking to her mother who grew up on Balboa Island. I believe she is 84 years old now, so a bit older than you. Here is a memory or two that she asked that we pass on to you.

"Hi Janie,Next time you talk to Jay Greer ask him if he was familiar with the Balboa Island Yacht Club. It probably had died out by the time he was there. The Beek family was the moving factor in that but the boys were all older than I was. Joe Beek ran the ferry from the Island to Balboa. I don't recall if they owned it.
Fun thinking about that."

I am really enjoying the memories you and other are sharing about the area. I know the area well, but only from the early 70's.

Re: Schooner Row

Another schooner, not pictured, is the "Dreamer. She was gaff rigged, 49'6" in length and sported a locomobile 30hp gas engine. Joe Fellows built her in 1904 in San Pedro. "Dreamer" was moored in the South Channel of Newport Harbor just off the West end of Balboa Island for many years. This was when I was a kid. I used to sail by her in my Snowbird and dream of taking her to the South Seas. "Dreamer" had that "Yar" look with her gaff rig, pin rails and beautiful sweeping sheer! In the 1950's she was moved to a slip behind the Anchor Cove Bar on PCH that was on the property that was later occupied by the Rusty Pelican Restaurant. I entertained at the Anchor Cove, early in my singing career and some of the regulars and I would retire to the cabin of "Dreamer" after closing time. One nite, as we stepped aboard, Ernie Orchard who was famous for consuming copious amounts of liquor and climbing schooner masts and boat yard cranes, came hurtling down in the dark from the main cross trees! He plunged feet first into the water between the hull and the finger dock! I swear, by Father Neptune, he had only a few inches of clearance between "Dreamer" and that dock finger! Ernie, either was fearless or crazy, I never figured it out! However, I do know that he died of natural causes involving his liver.
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by Jay Greer

Here is a shot taken of Schooner Row in Newport Beach Ca back in 1948.
Some of the famous boats that can be seen here are:
"Goodwill, Puritan, Vega and Lucky Star". Schooner row was located on the property that became the Balboa Bay Club. Lido Island is across the bay from it. There were a lot of houses there back then.
Sorry, about the small size, the picture is as large as I could make it.
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Yes, "Lucky Star" is an Edson B. Schock design and belongs to Brad Downey unless he has sold her. She is one sweet schooner boat! We used to race her with Jerry Hampton's "Wanderlure II", an Alden boat. Sometimes Brad would win and other times we would. In a blow the Shock boat is faster as she is longer on the water line. But in light airs Wonderwagon could ghost ahead of her! Jerry had a special mix of light grey topside paint that Brad attempted to match for many years. After Brad painted the Star's top sides, Jerry would sneak in the yard the night before her launching and put a finger print of his paint on the stem. Brad's color never matched Jerry's.
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by Jay Greer

Yes, "Lucky Star" is an Edson B. Schock design and belongs to Brad Downey unless he has sold her. She is one sweet schooner boat! We used to race her with Jerry Hampton's "Wanderlure II", an Alden boat. Sometimes Brad would win and other times we would. In a blow the Shock boat is faster as she is longer on the water line. But in light airs Wonderwagon could ghost ahead of her! Jerry had a special mix of light grey topside paint that Brad attempted to match for many years. After Brad painted the Star's top sides, Jerry would sneak in the yard the night before her launching and put a finger print of his paint on the stem. Brad's color never matched Jerry's.
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Here is the only shot I have of "Wanderlure II" that is with me at this time! That is when Hank Hill, owned her. She had a black hull then. Jerry Hampton painted her light grey, after he got her. That color change improved her looks a whole lot! And started Brad Downey on a quest to get the formula for "Lucky Star" "See how she scoons!" with her staysl rig. She began life as a gaff rigger but Hank Hill changed her to staysl rig thereby improving her up wind sailing abilty a whole bunch!
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Yep, we could always spot "Lucky Star" by that bright blue" Advance" Brad flew. I think Skip Elliott made it for him. "Wanderlure II" had an amazing variety of light kites that Skip made up for Jerry Hampton aka "Toad". One of his favorites was a low cut filler baloney we set under the immense gollywobbler. Jerry called that kite the "Japsail". It was red on white, a big red sun ball with radiating rays. It was a beautiful sail And really worked well as it filled in a hole in the wind.
We would often show up for a race looking like a party boat with girls in bikinis on deck, beer cans in hand, and loud rock music playing on speakers Jerry had rigged on the coach roof. We would have working sails badly sheeted and we looked like a bunch of "Yahoos" as we approached the start. Then, just before the gun went off and crossing the line, the beer cans disappeared, sails were sheeted in, in a snap, and all went serious as we crossed the line on the favored end of the line and the fencing match with "Lucky Star" began! Gawd we loved it!
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Well I see that "Wanderlure II" is now up for sale after a very nice looking re-build! $89,00O and that is very reasonable! There is a post on her on another thread. Wow, I just found the typo. Did it sell?
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Did you ever sail on "Dauntless" Ratty? Were you around when Sloan put her bowsprit through the picture window at Woodey's Warf?
As we coasted into the slip, reverse gear didn't work the sprit broke the picture window went on into the bar! Ronney Wilson ran off the end and walked up to the bar. His words were, "Bar Tender, I'd like a gin and tonic and make it snappy! I have a boat waiting!"
Bird

Re: Schooner Row

I raced against "Dauntless", but never sailed on her. I was working at Mariner Yachts, next door to Woodies when "Dauntless" did in the window. We were working late, trying to get a Cal 2-46 ready for delivery to the owner the next day. Don't tell the ABC, but we had a bar tender trained to pass drinks over the fence to us. When "Dauntless" tried to dock, I was at the top of the 2-46's stick, with drink #4 or #5 on its way up the mast on a halyard. This was before I was Schooner Rat, but even then the sight of an Alden schooner got my full attention. As often happens in this sort of a situation, things seemed to progress in slow motion. From my perch, some 60' above sea level, I saw the window deflect as "Dauntless's" sprit made contact before the window went. My first thought was "f__k I'm glad that's not me driving that boat." Even as an innocent bystander, I felt that feeling in the pit of my stomach that you feel when doom is impending and there's nothing you can do about it.

Re: Schooner Row

Walt Pekula aka "Hawk" skippered "Dauntless" for a while. I always saw here as a mini "Serena". Walt skippered her too. We tore the cleats off the dock with the spring lines when we crashed into Woodey's. My boat shop was in the North shed at the South Coast Co. complex. Then I went into business With Walter Methner at the sign shop in the old Chandlery Building in front of the Foundry and Machine shop. Incidentally, Bob Rubian, founder of the Crab Cooker, just passed on. He was a good friend as well.
JBird

Re: Schooner Row

I was also there to witness "Newsboy" being dropped at Lido Shipyard, across the bay. I cringed at the thought of a 12 Meter's worth of varnished topsides rolling around on the ground. I imagine the piano needed a tuning after that.

I didn't usually get as far out the peninsula as South Coast. We did most of our yard work at the much closer Pacific Tides. In summer traffic there was a big difference in travel time. We tried to launch a 46 at PT once. Their crane lowered its load by slipping a brake on the drum. The boat was easily lifted from it's trailer and swung over the water. The crane operator slowly eased off the brake. As soon as the boat started moving, it picked up more speed than the crane op was comfy with. He tried to slow her down, but almost ended up on top of the 46's deck. We made a VERY BIG splash, but there was no damage and nobody got hurt. Still, from then on, we launched our bigger boats at Lido (in spite of the "Newsboy" incident).

Re: Schooner Row

I remember that day at Lido Shipyard with "Newsboy" very well! She sat on two cradle cars one fwd and another aft. The coupling bar had a drop pin that sheered in half and both cars squirted out from under her! When Lido Shipyard's owner Buck Ayers called Jack Bailey to tell him of the accident, the first thing out of Jack's mouth was, "Was anybody hurt?" Fortunatly, the only thing that got hurt was the paint shack roof as the mast went through it! It did take a bit of fixing to set "Newsboy" right again. I think that was a bit after she dragged anchor in Fish Harbor and went on the rocks during a winter storm.
That sinking really finished off the little red piano Jack had in the salon! It had belonged to song writer Nacio Herb Brown, who wrote "Kitten on the Keys" and "The Doll Dance" on it. Jack had to seach for another mini piano as it had a keyboard that was one and a half octaves shorter than standard. I used to sing during cocktail hour and Jack would play for me. We crew members were rationed to one drink apiece! Those were the days my friend!
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Fish Harbor??? Okay, back then it was the site of LAYC, but certainly not yachty enough for the likes of "Newsboy" (now once again known as "Easterner"). Surrounded by canneries, the ever present stench, and the oily scum on the surface of the water made the place less than a perfect spot for yachts. What a place to sink. I never sailed on her, but I do have a fond personal attachment to her. Most of the sails that Kelpie wore were hand-me-downs from her that were cut down and re-stitched by Skip Elliot. "Newsboy" was an icon to to SoCal sailors of her time. I shed a tear when she was packed up and sent back home.

And speaking of acres of varnish, do you remember "Christine"? Do you know of her fate?

Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by SchoonerRat

Fish Harbor??? Okay, back then it was the site of LAYC, but certainly not yachty enough for the likes of "Newsboy" (now once again known as "Easterner"). Surrounded by canneries, the ever present stench, and the oily scum on the surface of the water made the place less than a perfect spot for yachts. What a place to sink. I never sailed on her, but I do have a fond personal attachment to her. Most of the sails that Kelpie wore were hand-me-downs from her that were cut down and re-stitched by Skip Elliot. "Newsboy" was an icon to to SoCal sailors of her time. I shed a tear when she was packed up and sent back home.

Back in the early to mid 1960s, when my brother was the captain of the sailing team at Cal Tech, he also crewed sometimes on a 12 meter out of LAYC (where Cal Tech kept its boats). I have never been able to remember the name of that 12 meter. One day he took me up to LAYC (from our home in Newport Beach) to sail in one of Cal Tech's sloops. We were sailing around in Fish Harbor and he pointed out the lovely 12 meter on which he crewed. Now you guys have me wondering if it was Newsboy. She was out in the harbor, not at a slip.

Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by Bookmark

Back in the early to mid 1960s, when my brother was the captain of the sailing team at Cal Tech, he also crewed sometimes on a 12 meter out of LAYC (where Cal Tech kept its boats). I have never been able to remember the name of that 12 meter. One day he took me up to LAYC (from our home in Newport Beach) to sail in one of Cal Tech's sloops. We were sailing around in Fish Harbor and he pointed out the lovely 12 meter on which he crewed. Now you guys have me wondering if it was Newsboy. She was out in the harbor, not at a slip.

"Newsboy" had a varnished hull. If it was her, you couldn't have missed her. She was home ported in Newport Beach. We had another 12 in LA Harbor. She had a white hull. I remember her berthed at Cerritos Yacht Anchorage, or maybe Newmarks. I can't remember for sure which 12 it was. It may have been "Valiant". The only other 12 I can remember from those days was "Columbia", also a Newport Beach boat, also white hull. Jay will probably chime in with more info. "Columbia" and "Newsboy" were both raced regularly. It was likely one of those boats on a temporary mooring. Columbia was the only 12 that I've had the pleasure of sailing on.

Re: Schooner Row

I think I would remember that varnished hull, so it must have been another 12 meter I saw that day. I liked Fish Harbor. Didn't have the sanitized quality of a typical marina.

Do either of you recall a shop in San Pedro that sold charts, navigation equipment, and such? I bought some books (Crenshaw's Naval Shiphandling, Dutton's, and such) some nav tools, and a pad of maneuvering board paper there in 1976 when I was about to start Navy OCS.

You guys were talking about the old South Coast yard. We were taken there on an elementary school field trip, probably 1960? I think it was the same day we visited the abalone processing facility. Fragrant!

Re: Schooner Row

The shop you're talking about is long gone. It was on 6th St. in San Pedro. I think the name of the shop was Southwest Instruments IIRC. I spent a lot of hard earned cash there. My sweet little Tamaya sextant came from there. That little girl was with me for decades, and thousands of miles. I always took her as carry-on when I flew with her. I flew down to Mexico for a delivery shortly after a particularly sensitive hijacking. Nobody on the airline staff knew what the heck she was. They made me check her as baggage. The baggage handlers weren't very gentle with her. She was forced to begin a new life as nautical decor.

Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by SchoonerRat

Fish Harbor??? Okay, back then it was the site of LAYC, but certainly not yachty enough for the likes of "Newsboy" (now once again known as "Easterner"). Surrounded by canneries, the ever present stench, and the oily scum on the surface of the water made the place less than a perfect spot for yachts. What a place to sink. I never sailed on her, but I do have a fond personal attachment to her. Most of the sails that Kelpie wore were hand-me-downs from her that were cut down and re-stitched by Skip Elliot. "Newsboy" was an icon to to SoCal sailors of her time. I shed a tear when she was packed up and sent back home.

And speaking of acres of varnish, do you remember "Christine"? Do you know of her fate?

Jack Bailey, the owner of "Newsboy" was a member of LAYC. He had her up there for the Midwinters moored to a club bouy, which dragged during the storm.
As for Fish Harbor, Joe Biff's Bar & eatery was there. It was a great Place for shooting pool, drinking, eating and fighting. I do not miss the aroma that wafted down wind from Fish Harbor. But I do miss the mystique! You could get all manner of good things at the Fisherman's Co Op
like Sein Twine, Italian Marlin, bamboo net shuttles and good heavy white soup bowls, divided area, plates and sea going coffee mugs. All gone now! Can't remember "Christine" Tell us more about her.
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

Originally Posted by Jay Greer

Jack Bailey, the owner of "Newsboy" was a member of LAYC. He had her up there for the Midwinters moored to a club boy, which dragged.
As for Fish Harbor, Joe Biff's Bar & eatery was there. It was a great Place for shooting pool, drinking, eating and fighting. I do not miss the aroma that wafted down wind from Fish Harbor. But I do miss the mystique.
Jay

Yes, there was a mystique, and a whole s___tpile of yachting history. I did a lot of work at LAYC back then, including some work on their RC boat. I never looked into the history of the club, but often wondered how a club full of rich owners of beautiful yachts ended up in that nasty little corner of LA Harbor. The aroma is now gone, along with the canneries, and most of the once mighty San Pedro fishing fleet.

Somebody please, get this thread back on course, to schooners...or not. As it's going, these post are dredging up lots of great memories for me.

Re: Schooner Row

I remember that as a place that could surprise a sailor unfamiliar with the local winds. You could be ghosting along as you came out from the LAYC area, then come out of the lee of the shore to the northwest and suddenly discover you were in, what was it called?, Hurricane Alley? Am I remembering right? So many years ago, and I haven't been back there since.

Re: Schooner Row

Not too bad a memory. That would be Hurricane Gulch. There's wind coming around the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and wind coming over the Palos Verdes Peninsula. This sets up a venturi effect that sucks wind down the adjacent canyons and flatlands---Hurricane Gulch. With our prevailing sou'wester, you can generally expect at least 10 - 15 knots of wind in excess of the local winds just a mile away. It's a windsurfers wet dream. Smooth water inside the breakwater, and wave jumping on the outside. There's also an offshore reef, marked by the Point Fermin whistle bouy, which breaks in a good swell. Amazing Hobie cat surfing with no sand to run into.

Re: Schooner Row

Matt Walsh was known as "The Wizard of Hurricane Gulch" His house was on the bluff just above that famous blow hole and his boatyard, Garbutt and Walsh, was just beyond on Terminal Island. Matt was the skipper, designer and builder of many famous Southern California racing boats. His own boat, the 38' sloop "Thoroughbred", never lost a race!

Incidentally, LAYC was located on another part of Terminal Island until the city condemmed the property to build the Vincent Thomas suspension bridge from the Island to the mainland. They compensated the club by giving them the property in Fish Harbor. I spent part of WWII just a block from San Pedro Boat Wks. which was my playground. My parents had a converted net shack that was our home. Our Lester Stone sloop "Pronto" was tied up at Fleitz Brothers marina right across Watchhorn Basin from both the cannery and the kelp processing plant. The smell out ranked the parfumed air of Fish Harbor by a long shot!
Jay

Re: Schooner Row

I have very fond memories of riding the ferries that the Vincent Thomas bridge replaced. The San Pedro Ferry Terminal now houses our Maritime Museum. I have even fonder memories of the pontoon bridge that the Gerald Desmond bridge replaced. I went to high school with Gerald Desmond Jr., and the first boat I ever owned was the Desmond's old Skimmer #66. The locally built Skimmer was 16' long and very much like an Inland Lake Scow. My boat partner and I had great times sailing around Alamitos Bay with 15 or 16 of our best friends sprawling all over her deck and hanging on to whatever they could grab. I got my first 14 year old eyeful of naked boobs when (name omitted to protect the innocent) climbed up onto the boat from the bay, minus her bikini top.

I was a barefoot boy well into my fifties. I seldom wore shoes except where required by social norms. I wore shoes at Fleitz Bros. (I remember ei, not y). There were some boats at Fleitz that were even more splintery than the docks. I sailed on an old 6 Meter named "Lanai" out of Fleitz. I learned a lot from Charlie (damn, I can't remember his last name), watching him sail her in and out of her slip. Lanai was kept in great shape. I can remember at least 4 haul-outs in the 6 years or so that I knew Charlie before his demise.

I think San Pedro Boat Works is where we used to haul Captain Eddie's schooners. I believe that's where Wayne Ettle has his shop now. That's just down the street from where I'm hanging my hat these days.

Re: Schooner Row

Ratty, you are a true native. Just think of what a fine time we both had with our bare feet in the sand and on wooden schooner decks! Those were good times,even though we were not aware of how good they were until they were gone!

Here is a true schooner tale for you. Back in the early thirties, my father crewed aboard the schooner "Dreamer", a gaff rigger that called Newport Harbor her home port. They went on a cruise north in the direction of San Francisco. They wind blew hard as they beat up the coast. They finally put into Coho at the south corner of Point Conception and waited for a favorable wind.
After a change in the weather, they made it up to Carmel and dropped hook in the cove. The locals thought they were pirates and the sheriff came down to the beach to investigate. After the owner showed his registration papers they were allowed to stay without further harassment. Such was yachting back in those days! The winds remained adverse and "Dreamer" finally opted to scrub sailing further up the coast and turned back south to Newport. Henry Dana had the same problem!
Jay